Folding couch bed



April 6, 1943.

A. KRAKAUER FOLDING COUCH BED 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 21, 1940I mx M5 `NVENTOR BY 17am, ifm/maar ATT RNEY April 6, 1943. A. KRAKAUER' v FOLDING`COUCH BED Filed Feb. 21, 1940 2 Sheets-Shet 2 AT 0 NEY Patented Apr. e, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT UFFICI?.

Kay Manufacturing Corporation, Brooklyn N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 21, 1940, Serial No. 320,071

(Cl. -31)l 8 Claims.

This inventionrelates to couch-'beds or sofabeds, and particularly to that type wherein the .back-forming part is fixed and the seat part is hingedly mounted for movement into a bedlforming position.

My invention contemplates the `provision of a couch-bed wherein a single mattress foldable in half or a pair of separate mattresses are normally concealed within a compartment beneath the seat independently of the back of the couch-bed, and one mattress or mattress part is swingable by a rotary movement into the bed-forming position thereof simultaneously with the automatic lifting to the proper level and forward movement of the other mattress or mattress part.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a couch-bed having a xed back and a cushioned seat and wherein a mattress and supports therefor are stored in a compartment beneath the seat for extension into a bed whereby the rupholstery and cushions of the back and seat .respectively are not used for bed purposes and are not subjected to the wear and tear incident to such use, and whereby it becomes -possible to use a regular bed mattress instead of makeshift mattresses giving less Comfort.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a couch-bed wherein the bed-forming parts are moved by simple and efficient mechanism into their bed-forming positions on manually swinging one of the parts which normally forms the seat from its seat-forming position into its bed-forming position and without the necessity for sliding any parts into or out of the couch-bed.

My invention further contemplates the provision of a radius control bar in the operating mechanism which insures forward movement of the inner mattress frame when the frame is lifted whereby said frame may be folded to a position partly underneath the back of the couch-bed and therefore may be made of a width greater than that of the seat.

The various objects of ,the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a combined vertical section and end view of a couch-bed to w-hich the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front view of the same, some of the parts being broken away to show part of the operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts extended into Ytheir bed-forming positions.

Fig. 4 isa top plan view of the same on a smaller scale, part of themattress being broken away to show the mattress frames.

In the practical embodiment of the invention, shown by way of example, the back I6 is fixed to the framework and arms I I of the couch-bed, the space I2 below and in front of the back and between the arms being utilized as a compartment for storing the mattress parts I3 and I4 as well as the supporting and ornerating mechanism therefor. Said mattress parts may consist, if :desired, of separate mattressesof any suitable type, but are preferably conventional bed mattresses such as inner spring mattresses. The mattress parts may be joined together, vas shown, at the adjacent edges thereof if desired to constitute a single suitable folding mattress .which may be eX- tended into the position of Fig. 4 vwherein Vthere is no space between said parts I3 andI. Asupporting upper frame I5 is provided for the mattress part I3 while a similar lower but wider .frame I6 is provided for the wider mattress .part I4, said frames being provided with suitable bed springs -as of any conventional type suitable for yieldingly supporting the respective mattress parts. The frames are hinged together by means of a suitable hinge comprising .the hinge member I'l which is secured to the end rail of the frame I5 and the hinge member I 8 similarlysecured to the end rail of the frame Idsaid yhinge members being .pivotally connected as by means of the hinge pin I9.

It will be understood that va hinge, such as above described is provided at each ofthe 4two front end corners of the frames I5 `and .I6 and that .the operating mechanisms for the frames, soon to be described., at both ends of said frames are substantially identical, so that a description of one such mechanism will suffice for both. To prevent the frames I5 and I6 from collapsing upon each other in the folded or inoperative positions thereof and when the mattress yparts 4I3 and I4 have been removed from the compartment l2, an L-shaped member 25 preferably of angle iron has one end thereof -as ZI connected to the frame I5 at its rear end (Fig. l) and at its front end is connected to the hinge member II as at 22. A similar L-shaped member 23 is secured in reversed .position with one end as Zit thereof secured to the frame i6 and .the otherend 25 secured to the hinge member I8. The horizontal flanges of said members 2i! and 23 rest upon each other when the frames are folded into the positions of Fig. 1 and by maintaining said frames in spaced relation, provide sufficient space between the frames for the reception of the mattress parts I3,

Preferably removable cushions as 26 are supported by the upper frame I5 and form the seat of the couch-bed. It will be understood however that the upper surface of the frame I5 may be upholstered to provide a xed or permanent seat instead of removable cushions in a manner which will be readily understood and hence needs no further description. The weight put upon the seat 26 is transmitted through the frame I5, which forms the direct supporting member of the seat, and the members and 23 to the frame I6 and thence to the supporting frame of the couch-bed by the supporting and A operating mechanism soon to be described. Y

The front panel of the couch-bed forms the front wall of the compartment I2 and normally conceals the frames and the mattresses. ASaid panel consists of the fixed rail 21 extending between the arms I I, and the movable rail 28 hinged to the fixed rail by means of suitable hinges as 29. The rails are suitably upholstered at their front or visible faces. The rail 28 is automatically swung out of the way of the frame I6 when said frame together with its hinge member I8 is lifted (Fig. 3) This is accomplished by the movement of the link 39, which is pivoted at one end to the hinge member I8 and at its other end to the bracket 3I projecting rearwardly from the rail.

Extending between the fixed front rail 21 and the fixed rear rail 32 is the frame support or transverse rail 33 preferably of angle iron, and which is provided with terminal strap hangers at 34, 35 secured to the respective front and rear rails and suspending the support 33 therefrom. A pair of spaced slots 36, 31 are made i-n the support, the slot 36 receiving the pin 38 of the roller 39 secured by a suitable bracket to the lower end of the leg 4B. Similarly, the slot 31 receives the pin of the roller 4I at the lower end of the lesr 42. Said legs 4D and 4I cross each other at 43 where they are pivotally connected. The pin 44 at the upper end of the leg 42 slides in the slot 45 in the end member of the frame I6, while the upper end of the leg 49 is pivoted to said end member by the pin 46. Preferably, the rollers 39 and 4I normally transmit the weights of the frames I5, I6, and of the mattress parts I3, I4, and of a person sitting on the seat 26, to the hori- Zontal fiange of the support 33, while .permitting the frame I6 and its mattress to be easily lifted and collapsed.

It will be noted that when the frame I6 is lifted, it is also moved forwardly to carry the rear edge part thereof out of the space underneath the back III. To insure such forward as well as upward movement, the radius control bar 41 is provided. Said bar is pivoted at its lower end as by the pivot 48 to the support 33 and by the pivot 49 at its upper end to the end member of the frame I6. As shown in Fig. 1, the bar 41 is in a substantially horizontal position when the parts are collapsed or folded inside of the compartment I2, the legs 49 and 42 are also collapsed about the pivot 43, the front rail 28 isvertical, the member 20 rests upon the member 23, the rear edge portion of the frame I6 together with its mattress part I 4 are below and partly underneath the back I0, and the mattress part I3 is folded upon the mattress part I4 and rests thereon. An extensible and foldable leg 56 for supporting the frame I5 when said frame is in its extended position, is also folded into parallel relation with said frame.

Said leg is pivoted as by the pin 5I to said frame I5, and is automatically operated by the links 52 and 53 when the frame is swung on its pivot I9. The link 52, at one end, is pivoted as at 56 to the one end of the leg 59, and at its other end to the link 53. The upper end of the said link 53 is pivoted as at 54 to the hinge member I1, the lower end of said link being secured to the pin 44 operating in the slot 45. The connecting pivot 55 for the links 52 and 53 is normally to the left of thel pivot 54, as viewed in Fig. 1.

To extend the frames into the bed-forming positions thereof from the position of Fig. 1, the seat cushions 23 are first removed, if said cushions are loose cushions. The seat frame I5 is then rotated about the pivot I9 into the position of Figs. 3 and 4 causing automatic operation of the other parts. That is, the pivot 54 is rotated with the hinge member I1 to a point above the pivot I9, thereby raising the link 53 and exerting an upward press-ure on the frame I6 to raise said frame. The control bar 41, however, controls the movement of the frame I6 and instead of permitting it to rise vertically under the pull of the link 53, imparts a forward as well as a rising movement to said frame suicient to carry the rear edge Portion of the frame end of the mattress part I4 res ting thereon out of the space directly beneathA the back I0 to easily clear the back. As the frame rises, the legs 49 and 42 are extended and the rollers 39 and 4I move tol the right hand ends of the respective slots 36 and 31 (Fig. 3).

As the hinge member I3 rises, the lower end of the link 33, as viewed in Fig. 1, is also raised and the movable rail 28 swung about its hinges 29, the forward movement of said hinge member also aiding to swing the rail until it assumes the position thereof shown in Fig. 3, wherein it is out of the way of the raised frame I6. Furthermore, during the rotation of the frame I5 into the position of Fig. 3, the pivot 55 of the link 52 is carried on the other side or to the right of the pivot 54, thereby lowering the pivot 55 at the other end of the link and rotating the leg 59 about the pivot 5I into the extended position thereof shown in Fig. 3, wherein said leg serves to support the frame I5 in its bedforming position. The mattress part I4 may now be rotated onto the frame I5 to be supported thereby or it may be rotated simultaneously with the rotation of the frame as described.

It will be noted that by utilizing the space underneath the back I3, the frame I 6 may be made substantially wider than the frame I5 and wider than the seat of the couch-bed, so that when the frames are extended to provide a bed, the width of the resulting bed is more than twice that of the seat 26; and that by the mechanism just described, which imparts a forward as well as a lifting movement to said frame I6, it becomes possible to extend the parts without interference with the back.

It will further be seen that by the mechanism employed for operating the frames, none of the surface upholstery is subjected to any wear when the couch-bed is used as a bed, and that an adequate conventional bed mattress may at all times be stored between the frames in readiness for immediate use when the frames are extended.

While I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I do not intend to be understood as limiting myself thereto, but desire to claim my invention as broadly as may be permitted by the state of the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ina couch-bed having a -relatively .fixed back, a pair of fames -hinged together and foldable into a seat-forming position wherein one frame is above the other and both frames are below and in front of the back, a mechanism to lift the lower frame andto move said lower frame forwardly on the rotation of the upper frame through an angle of approximately 180, said mechanism including a radius control bar pivoted at one end to a relatively fixed point of the couch in front of and below the back and pivoted at its other end to said lower frame, a pair of crossed legs each pivoted at its upper end to the lower frame, fixed means on the couch for supporting the lower ends of the legs, and a link bar connected at one end to the upper end of one of the legs and to the lower frame vand operatively connected at its other end to the upper frame and movable therewith.

2. In a couch-bed having a compartment therein, a pair of frames, a pair of hinge members each connected to one of the frames and hingedly securing said frames together at adjacent ends of the frames for movement into a bed-forming position wherein said frames are substantially coplanar, said frames being normally foldable into said compartment into a seatforming position wherein one frame is above the other and providing a mattress-receiving space therebetween when so folded, means operatively connecting the frames to lift the lower frame when the upper frame is rotated forwardly into its bed-forming position, said means comprising a bar pivoted at one end to the hinge member for the upper frame and a pair of crossed legs each pivoted at its upper end to the lower frame and one of said legs being also pivoted to the other end of said bar, and means for imparting a forward movement to the lower frame simultaneously with the lifting of said lower frame including a radius control bar pivoted at one end to the lower frame and pivoted at its other end to a relatively fixed part of the couch.

3. In a couch-bed, a pair of frames, a hinge pivotally connecting said frames, means for lifting one of the frames on the rotation of the other frame about the pivot of the hinge comprising a first bar pivoted to the hinge adjacent said other frame, a pair of crossed supporting legs for said one frame each pivoted at its u per end to said one frame, one of said legs being also pivoted to the first bar, means for imparting a forward movement to said one frame on the lifting thereof comprising a radius control bar pivoted to the lower frame and to a relatively fixed part of the couch, a pivoted leg on said other frame, and a second bar connecting an end of the leg to the first bar to extend said leg automatically on the rotation of said other frame about the pivot of the hinge.

4. In a couch-bed, a rela-tively fixed back, 'a pair of frames foldable one into vertically spaced relation to the other and with part of the lower frame underneath the back, said lower frame being wider than the upper frame, va leg pivoted to the upper frame, a pair of crossed legs pivoted at their upper ends to the lower frame, and means for simultaneously lifting the lower frame and imparting a forward movement thereto on the rotation of the upper frame relatively to the lower frame, said means including a radius control member pivoted to the lower frame and to a relatively fixed point of the couch-bed, and a pair of bars operatively connected to each other and-to'theilegs of the .respective frames, one end of that `bar connected to the 'legs y,of the Alower frame being Voperatively :connected to and :movable with the .upper frame.

:'5. .In a couch-bed, .a pair of mattress-supporting frames, a .hinge connecting the frames for relative rotation thereof into a seat-forming position wherein one frame is above the other and into a bed-forming position wherein said frames are substantially coplanar, a pair of crossed legs pivoted at their upper ends to the lower frame, a third leg pivoted intermediate its ends to the upper frame, and means for simultaneously extending the legs of the frames and for lifting land imparting a forward movement to the lower frame on the rotation of the upper frame, said means comprising a pair of bars, one operatively connected to the other and also connected to an end part of the third leg and the other bar connected to the hinge and to the upper end of one leg of the pair of legs, and a radius control bar pivoted to the lower frame and to a relatively fixed point of the couch-bed, a hingedly supported front rail, and means for swinging said rail out of the path of the lower frame on the rotation of the upper frame.

6. In a couch-bed having a fixed back, a pair of frames foldable relatively to the back into a seat-forming position wherein one of the frames is above the other and into a bed-forming position wherein the frames are substantially coplanar, a hinge comprising a pair of pivoted hinge members, one connected to the front part of one of the frames and the other to an adjacent part of the other frame, the lower frame being wider than the upper frame and extending underneath the back in the seat-forming position thereof, a pair of mattress parts normally arranged between the frames in the folded positions of the frames, a xed transverse supporting rail in the couch-bed extending from a point below the back to the front of the couch, a xed front rail, a second front rail hinged to the fixed front rail, a pair of crossed supporting legs pivoted to and supporting the lower frame and having their lower ends movable on the transverse rail, means operatively connecting one of the hinge members to the second front rail to swing said second rail on the movement of the frames toward and from the bed-forming positions thereof, a bar operatively connecting the other hinge member to the lower frame and to the upper end of one of said crossed legs to raise said lower frame on the movement of the upper frame to the bed-forming position thereof, and a control bar pivoted at one end to the lower frame and at the other end to the transverse rail, said bar imparting forward movement to the lower frame on the movement of the upper frame out of its folded position.

7. In a folding bed couch, a pair of mattress supporting frames one foldable over the other to form a seat, a hinge pivotally connecting the frames and comprising a pair of hinge members each pivoted to the other at corresponding ends thereof and each fixed to one of the frames at the other end thereof, and an L-shaped spacing member for each frame, each fixed to one of the hinge members at the end of the longer leg thereof and fixed to one of the frames at the end of the shorter leg thereof, the longer legs of said spacing members being adapted to rest on each other in the seat-forming positions of said frames wherein one frame is in Vertical spaced relation to the other, whereby weight put upon the upper frame is transmitted to the lower frame.

8. In a folding bed couch, a pair of mattress supporting frames, a hinge hingedlj7 securing said frames together, a spacing member for the end of each frame having a normally horizontal .rail and a normally vertical rail, the horizontal rail being secured to the hinge and the vertical rail being secured to the frame, said members maintaining the frames in vertical spaced relation and the horizontal rails thereof being in contact when the frames are folded about the hinge into a position wherein one frame is over the other. A

ABRAHAM KRAKAUER. 

